How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

Articles on TV & MAgazines & then My Medical Insurer

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

Waiting period is very "antsy"

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

Plese see my review for Dr. Ali.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Being Approved, Medical Insurance, Diabetes, ASthma, Hurting Back & Knee pain

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

For the most part I decided RNY was best for me, laprosccpically was left up to the surgeon on the day of surgery. (But I prayed a lot for the lap)

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

D's, Death, Dumping. Depression, Dying from too much anorexia, Surgical Complications, Husband rejecting me. I would explain all the nervousness is common but ANY SURGERY is risky I should know as I ham a nurse and Iv'e had enough surgeries.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

DH took a while to accept the idea. Family was worried, NOW they are proud but are the first ones to say you have lost enough now. the same ones now say " You don't need to lose any more weight, these are who said "You need to lose weight" PRIO to surgery

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

Went in on Monday & went home on a Wednesday. Plese read profile on things to take.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

No, not that I am aware of

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I had a 6 month wait for personal reasons and it seemed forever but as It got closer DH & I were anxious and almost "B-itchy"

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

EAT VERY VERY SLOW, exercise and take your time in doing EVERYTHING!!!

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

30 miles Only problem was expressway traffic on the 405 @ 4 PM for post op visits

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

I absolutely could not tolerate ANY kind of Chicken it would not go dow well no matter what I watered or chewed it with.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

Slow but sure and increasingly easy

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

Iron, Chewable Vitamins, Calcium Ultra Tums, Biotin & Zinc# daily Vit B-12. every Monday PMD had to pklace me on Potassium as well 6 mos out.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

HAIR LOSS! It was ever so thin forever it seemed like. It was my worst side effect. probably 3-11 mos out. I took the biotin & Zinc & used Nioxin "stinky" products...

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

Nothing that I can think of right now. Once in a while I have a craving for a diet coke when I hear a "top "pop"

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

Support Group in California Just have found a group after my move here to Florida so I have been sort of self supportive for the past 4 months, so to speak

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

teeny, tiny pretty invisible

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

2 weight loss plateaus that lasted 6 weeks at each plateau

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes , especially the ones who did not know I had surgery